Website redesign checklist
A redesign is not just a new look. Done well it ships faster, converts better and keeps the rankings you already earned. Done badly it tanks your traffic on launch day. This checklist walks the six stages in order.
01 Define goals and metrics
Start with why. A redesign should serve a goal: more leads, clearer positioning, faster pages, or a new product line. Write down the goal and the numbers you will judge it by (conversion rate, bounce, time to first byte, demo requests). Without this, a redesign becomes opinion-driven and never feels finished.
02 Audit the current site
Before you change anything, know what is working:
- Pull your top pages by traffic and by conversions.
- List the URLs that rank and bring in search traffic.
- Note what converts: which pages, which CTAs, which flows.
You protect these in the redesign. Most traffic losses come from quietly deleting or moving pages that were earning.
03 Plan content and structure first
Map the pages you need and the message each one carries before any visual design. Decide the site structure, the navigation and the primary CTA. When design starts from real content and a clear page map, it has a job to do. Designing first and pouring text in later is the most common cause of rework.
04 Design the system, then build
- Design a small reusable system (type, colour, components), not one-off pages. This keeps the site consistent, on brand and fast to extend.
- Build responsive: design for mobile as seriously as desktop.
- Keep it fast: optimise images, limit heavy scripts, aim for quick load and good Core Web Vitals.
- Make sure the site reflects your brand identity. If the identity is unclear, fix that first, see what is included in a brand identity.
05 Migrate SEO safely
This is the stage most redesigns skip, and the one that loses rankings. Before launch:
- Map old URLs to new. Every changed URL needs a 301 redirect to its closest match.
- Keep titles, headings and metadata on pages that already rank. Do not rewrite what is working.
- Preserve high-performing content. Carry it over, do not silently drop it.
- Update the sitemap and robots to point at the new URLs.
- Keep analytics and Search Console installed and verified on the new build.
06 Launch and monitor
- Verify analytics is firing and Search Console is verified on the live site.
- Submit the updated sitemap and request indexing for key pages.
- Crawl the new site for broken links and missing redirects.
- Watch rankings and traffic for a few weeks. A small dip can be normal; a cliff means a redirect or content problem to fix fast.
Frequently asked questions
How do I redesign without losing SEO rankings?
Map every old URL to its new one with 301 redirects, keep important titles and metadata, preserve content that ranks, update and resubmit the sitemap, and monitor Search Console after launch. Most drops come from broken redirects and lost content, not the new design.
How long does a redesign take?
A focused marketing-site redesign usually takes three to eight weeks depending on page count, content readiness and review rounds. Larger sites with custom features take longer.
Should content or design come first?
Content and structure first. Designing around real messaging and a clear page map gives the design a job. Designing first and adding content later means rework.
Planning a redesign?
We design and build marketing sites that ship fast and keep their rankings.
Website design ↗